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differential

differential

25 7.4
A quality that makes one thing different from another
  • noun
  • /ˌdɪfəˈrɛnʃəl/
: diferencial
  • The next set of controls examines how employer characteristics affect the salary differential.
  • power differential
  • price differentials
  • interest rate differential

Natural selection is the differential survival of genes in gene pools.

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Examples

  • Enough has been presented to give room for the differential in intellectual make-up.

    Academic text (1990)
  • So there's a really interesting differential of knowledge in this moment.

  • Let us begin with the quality differential.

  • However, neither student teacher reported feeling that this power differential made them uncomfortable or took away from their experience.

    Academic text (2011)
  • The empirical results suggest that the racial differential is due to a complex of issues.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Their relationship with the local is not an equal one, and this power differential merits explicit attention.

    Academic text (2008)
  • There will be ideologies created to justify the differential in playing time.

    Academic text (1999)
  • In the private pension system, by contrast, salary differentials between men and women increase after retirement.

    Academic text (1999)
  • The sustained economic growth generated by NAFTA would narrow income differentials by creating jobs.

    Academic text (1993)
  • The study highlighted the income differential between urban and rural areas.

Synonyms

characteristic
vsdifferential
186 3.4

A feature that makes something different from others

is about a single factor used to tell similar items apart
specialty
vsdifferential
  • US
7 4.4

A quality that makes a person or thing different

treats the same distinguishing function in general contexts
distinctiveness
vsdifferential
4 6.0

A quality that makes someone or something stand out from others

refers to the specific distinguishing factor rather than noticeability
3 4.0

A feature that makes someone or something different from others

focuses on the role of a quality in distinguishing within a group
differentiator
vsdifferential
3 7.2

A quality that makes one product, person, or idea different

is the abstract quality or factor behind that distinguishing effect
dissimilarity
vsdifferential
3 4.5

A state when two things or people are not alike

focuses on the identifying factor that causes that lack of resemblance
distinctive feature
vsdifferential
3 4.1

A clear quality that makes a person or thing different

highlights the same distinguishing purpose in broader comparisons
unique trait
vsdifferential
1 3.7

A quality that makes a person or thing stand out

emphasizes distinguishing role without implying absolute uniqueness
distinctness
vsdifferential
1 5.6

Being clearly different from others

focuses more on a feature causing difference than the state itself
differentness
vsdifferential
1 6.3

The fact that two things are not the same

is used for a named feature that makes items different within a group
differentia
vsdifferential
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A feature that shows how one species is different from others in the same group

is the broader factor that can apply across many comparisons
dissimilitude
vsdifferential
1 9.9

A clear difference between two or more things

points to a concrete distinguishing quality rather than mere absence of likeness
differentiative
vsdifferential
8.9

A feature that shows a difference between things

is the general idea of a distinguishing quality within a group
contrastiveness
vsdifferential
7.5

How different two things are when you compare them

is the specific feature used to tell similar items apart

Antonyms

162 2.7

A likeness between things that makes them seem related

Compounds

4 6.1

A way for a doctor to tell one disease from another when symptoms are similar

differential equation
  • Specialized
4 7.4

An equation that shows how a number or amount changes using its rate of change

differential calculus
  • Specialized
1 8.0

The part of mathematics that studies how things change and how fast, like speed or temperature change

1 9.6

An equation that shows how a value changes when two or more things change

1 9.9

A machine with moving parts that solves equations about how things change

differential gear
  • Specialized
1 5.8

A set of gears that lets two wheels turn at different speeds when a car turns

differential cost
  • Specialized
1 6.9

The change in total cost when you produce one more or one less item

1 9.1

The rate at which a curve goes up or down at one point

differential limen
  • Specialized
9.9

The smallest change in how strong a sound, touch, or light feels that a person can notice

Study of how people differ in intelligence and personality

8.8

The smallest change in what you see, hear, or taste that a person can notice

5.2

A test that counts each type of white blood cell in a small blood sample

How Distinctive

differential
25 7.4

Surface Forms

differential singular
differentials plural

Morphology

differential = differ (transparent) = differ + ential

The meaning related to differences is directly derived from 'differ'.

Etymology

Differential (noun) comes from the same root as difference, meaning 'what makes things not the same'. A differential is a feature or factor that sets one thing apart from another, so the origin links directly to its meaning.